DF Chapter 20
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“Hmm, not bad at all.” Zhen Yi said.
“Not just ‘not bad’—directors who have worked with her all say they’ve never seen an actor who can switch in and out of character as quickly as she does. I once watched Best Actress Liang Bing perform. She’s slow to get into character and even slower to come out. After a crying scene, it took the production team an hour to coax her out of it.”
“Really?” Zhen Yi smiled. She wasn’t into the entertainment industry, but hearing stories like this was amusing.
Song Yi took the bottle of water from her assistant, sat down on a lounge chair, and leisurely drank half of it before looking up at Zhen Yi. “What are you here for? Have you come up with a plan? I don’t have time right now. Let’s talk in two hours.” She had the same look on her face as she had after their argument at the police station, as if waiting for Zhen Yi to apologize.
“I’m here to get you to sign the termination agreement.” Zhen Yi wasn’t in the mood to waste time. She pulled a stack of papers from her folder and tossed them onto Song Yi’s lap. Her assistant was shocked—who would dare treat her superstar like this? Song Yi glared at her. “You! Zhen Yi, do you even know how much money you’re going to lose?”
“That depends on how much I actually care about your money.”
Song Yi’s face turned red. She didn’t want to reveal her secrets to Zhen Yi, nor did she want to change lawyers. After a long pause, she gritted her teeth. “Lawyer Zhen, I thought you stood for justice.” This time, it wasn’t a joke or false flattery. “You always stand on the side of the underdog—helping Tang Shang fight against Lin Ziyi, helping me stand up to the police. I thought you were fighting for justice.”
Zhen Yi replied flatly, “My justice can be bought. If you want it, pay up.”
“…”
Her unflinching and opportunistic attitude made her seem like a thug. Song Yi, still in disbelief, asked, “So you came here to…”
“To extort you for a pay raise.” Zhen Yi crossed her arms, clearly showing her mercenary side. “You refuse to cooperate with me, won’t tell me anything, and turn into a ticking time bomb, creating gaps in your defense. I’m supposed to help you with no information? That doesn’t sit well with me. And when I’m in a bad mood, I want to burn money. If you want to keep me in the dark and not be bound by my advice, fine—double the fee.”
“That’s extortion!”
“Extortion is my profession.” Zhen Yi glared back. “Neither of us is exactly transparent.”
Song Yi was speechless, but after some consideration, she finally said, “Fine. Double it. But don’t ask me questions I don’t want to answer.”
“Deal.” Zhen Yi leaned over and snatched the termination agreement from Song Yi’s hand, pulling out another contract from her folder. “I’ve removed the clause that says ‘the client must be completely honest with their lawyer.’ Read it over, and if it’s fine, sign it.”
Song Yi quickly signed. Just then, the door opened, and her manager walked in. Seeing Zhen Yi, he immediately asked, “Are you Lawyer Zhen?”
“Yes.”
“I’ve heard you’re quite capable, but why are the police constantly questioning the people around Yi Yi? That scum is dead—why are they still investigating her? The reporters are making things worse. What’s going to happen to her image if this continues?”
“I’m currently discussing this with Miss Song.”
“You’ve been paid, so do your job properly. If you ruin Yi Yi’s reputation, yours will go down the drain too. Who would hire you as a lawyer after that?” His voice was gentle, but each word carried a sharp edge.
“Understood.” Zhen Yi responded casually. She couldn’t be bothered with people like him.
The manager turned to Song Yi. “Yi Yi, XTV wants you for a show.”
“I don’t want to go.” Song Yi replied with a blank expression. “Their questions are aggressive and pushy. I don’t like it.”
“But the ratings are high.”
“That depends on how much I care about their ratings.” she said, borrowing Zhen Yi’s phrasing.
“XTV has been digging into the police investigation. We need to smooth things over, not make it worse.”
“I really don’t want to.” she said, turning away, her expression melancholic.
“Since when do things always go your way?” The manager coaxed.
“…Fine.”
“Good girl.” The manager patted her shoulder, beaming. “Yi Yi, adjust your mindset. You know what they say: life is like being assaulted. If you can’t fight back, you might as well enjoy it.” Song Yi’s face turned visibly sour at that comment. Unexpectedly, Zhen Yi let out a mocking laugh. The manager picked up on it. “What are you laughing at?”
“I wasn’t laughing at you, just that line.” Zhen Yi replied.
“Got a problem with it?” He raised his eyebrows, looking down on her.
Seeing his smug demeanor, Zhen Yi didn’t hold back. “That line is pretty remarkable. It instantly makes the speaker sound sleazy, disgusting, vulgar, and crude.”
“You’ve got a filthy mouth!” The manager exploded in anger.
“Who’s got the filthy mouth? What does ‘if you can’t fight back, enjoy it’ even mean? How low and uncultured does a man have to be to say something like that? So full of arrogance.” Zhen Yi sneered. “Are you secretly proud of your so-called masculine prowess? Controlled by testosterone, unable to resist animal instincts, you think brute strength equals dominance? And to have the audacity to say you’re giving women ‘pleasure’ in that process? You’re no better than a cucumber. Have you even thought about where you come from?”
The manager was so stunned that his eyes nearly popped out of his head.
“If anything I said was wrong, feel free to argue back. Oh, and a friendly tip—don’t pick a fight with a lawyer. You might end up losing more than just your dignity.”
The manager’s face turned beet red, like a liver about to burst.
Song Yi watched the exchange with a complex expression. Zhen Yi turned to leave but paused mid-step and called back, “Oh, by the way, Mr. Manager, lots of men think they’re giving women pleasure, thinking they’re doing some kind of favor. But the truth is, many women fake it to protect men’s fragile egos. You should ask your wife when you get home—are men really capable of bringing women enjoyment?” Without waiting for a reply, she walked down the stairs, only to run into Yan Ge.
His expression was calm, but she knew he had heard everything. Unbothered, Zhen Yi approached him. “Did you enjoy my speech?”
“Not interested.” He turned and started walking down the stairs.
Zhen Yi quickly caught up with him. “I think I just insulted the capabilities of all men. Sorry about that. Maybe not all men are so lacking.”
“It’s not maybe; it’s certain.” he replied, not in a defensive or offended way, but rather with the detached precision of someone discussing statistics.
Zhen Yi knew what he meant, but she deliberately twisted it. “Certain, huh? Do you want to prove it? Go ahead!” She spread her arms wide.
Yan Ge stopped, his lips pressed tightly together, his long eyelashes lowering before he looked up at her again. “Zhen Yi, do you have no shame?”
“That’s the phrase! Haha!” She laughed heartily. “I haven’t heard that in so long. Brings back memories.”
“…”
He continued walking in silence. Zhen Yi stopped teasing and got back to business. “Alright, alright. Let’s talk about serious stuff. What did you want to see me about?”
“Professor Zhen’s condition has been diagnosed.”
“Condition?” Zhen Yi was shocked. “I thought last time was just a routine check-up?”
“You’ve been too busy to notice that your grandfather’s memory has started to decline.”
No wonder her grandfather, who had never missed an appointment, had suddenly gone to the hospital despite having plans with Yan Ge. Reflecting on the little things over the past few months, Zhen Yi’s heart raced. “Are you saying… dementia?”
“Early stage. He’s receiving treatment. No need to worry too much.”
Zhen Yi felt a flood of emotions, gazing at Yan Ge’s calm figure. Warmth filled her heart. “Thank you.”
“Make sure to spend more time with him.” was his only response. Then he asked, “Are you privately investigating Lin Ziyi’s murder?”
“Yes.”
“Let’s do it together.”
“Why?”
“The police suspect Wu Zhe. I want to confirm something.”
Ecstasy was located near the bar district. By evening, the area was alive with neon lights, luxury cars, and beautiful women. The streets were filled with sensual music, and though it wasn’t quite summer yet, the scenery was already hot enough to make people sweat.
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